Shino Murakami

Progression of prostate cancer to neuroendocrine cell tumor.

Abstract Background: The progression to endocrine therapy‐resistant prostate cancer is partly due to clonal change to neuroendocrine cell tumor. To elucidate this pathologic process, the clinical courses of four cases of neuroendocrine cell tumor that were found at autopsy are reported.

Functional Bladder Capacity as Predictor of Response to Desmopressin and Retention Control Training in Monosymptomatic Nocturnal Enuresis

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of intranasal desmopressin (DDAVP) and retention control training (RCT) for monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis in childhood and to assess the predictive value of daytime functional bladder capacity for both methods.Materials and Methods: A total of 114 children with monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis, of whom 99 (86.8%) wetted the bed every night, were treated with 1 of the 2 methods: intranasal DDAVP in 54 and RCT in 60 subjects.Results: Twenty–one of 54 patients (38.9%) and 14 of 60 patients (23.3%) in the DDAVP group and the RCT group, respectively, achieved strong improvement (p = 0.061). Forty–five of 54 (90.0%) in the DDAVP and 35 of 60 (58.3%) in the RCT group had a more than 50% decrease in wet nights (p = 0.004). In the DDAVP group, the functional bladder capacities at baseline in responders and nonresponders were 82±22% and 56±20% of the predicted bladder capacity for their age (p<0.001). In the RCT group, responders and nonresponders did not differ in functional bladder capacity at baseline.Conclusion: DDAVP treatment is more effective than RCT in decreasing the number of wet nights in childhood nocturnal enuresis, but not so effective in children with a low functional bladder capacity. Daytime functional bladder capacity is a valuable predictor of response to DDAVP, but not so to RCT.

Pyogenic Psoas Abscess: Difficulty in Early Diagnosis

Aim: To report on the clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of psoas abscess (PA) with special attention to the presence of septic shock. Patients and Methods: This study included 17 patients (mean age 66.2, range 43–81 years) with PA. Treatment consisted of intravenous administration of antibiotics and abscess drainage, either surgical or percutaneous with ultrasound guidance. Results: The typical patients presented with fever >38°C (16/17, 94%), pain in back, flank, or abdomen (15/17, 88%), hip flexion contracture with pain extension (14/17, 82%), and mass felt in the flank (5/17, 29%). All 8 patients without septic shock (100%) had the clinical triad (fever, pain in back, flank, or abdomen, and hip flexion contracture) as compared with 4 of 9 patients with septic shock (44%) (p = 0.012). The duration of symptoms before hospitalization was significantly shorter in the patients with septic shock (median 2, range 1–5 days) than in those without septic shock (median 18.5, range 11–63 days; (p = 0.0005). The mortality rates were 33% (3 of 9) and 0% (0 of 8) in the patients with and without septic shock, respectively (p = 0.071). Conclusions: PA patients with septic shock had a tendency to have nonspecific symptoms and an occult clinical course as compared with those without septic shock. A delay in diagnosis and treatment can result in a worse clinical outcome (death or totally disabled state). Increased awareness of this condition should lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment with improved outcomes.

Serum immunosuppressive acidic protein as a tumor marker for renal cell carcinoma

Since there are no reliable tumor markers in renal cell carcinoma, the present study was undertaken to evaluate immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP) in patients with this tumor. Serum IAP levels were measured in 143 consecutive patients before and/or after nephrectomy by turbidimetric immunoassay. IAP levels had increased according to tumor diameter. Positivity rates of IAP were noticed as 45%, 75%, and 100% for patients with stage I/II, stage III, and stage IV diseases, respectively. Three-year survival rates also correlated with IAP: 96%, 81%, and 44% in preoperative levels below 500, of 501-1,000, and of more than 1,001 micrograms/ml, respectively. Serum IAP levels decreased within 3 months after the operation and increased with recurrence. These results suggest that serum IAP may serve as a tumor marker in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

Changes on distribution of CD4+/CD45RA- and CD8+/CD11- cells in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes of renal cell carcinoma associated with tumor progression

To study the distribution of subsets of T cells in renal cell carcinoma, peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) were analyzed in 43 untreated patients using two-color flow cytometry. An increase in the relative number of CD4+/CD45RA-, CD8+/CD11- and HLA-DR+/CD3+ cells was shown in TIL when compared with PBL. When the influence of various tumor factors on subsets of TIL was examined, a decrease in CD4, CD4+/CD45RA- and CD16+/CD57- cells and an increase in CD8+ and CD8+/CD11- cells was observed along with the aggravation of tumor stage and grade. In TIL of stage III/IV and grade III/IV disease, most patients showed an increase in CD8+/CD11- associated with a decrease in CD4+/CD45RA- cells, or the reverse, resulting in changes of the CD4+/CD45RA- to CD8+/CD11- ratio. The prognosis for these patients was poor, suggesting that changes in the ratio were a sign of the impairment of local immune status associated with disease progression.

Comparison of Gleason grade and score between preoperative biopsy and prostatectomy specimens in prostate cancer

Aim:  Although the histopathological findings obtained from biopsy specimens are important for choosing the appropriate management of prostate cancer, there have been some discrepancies in Gleason grade and consequently, score between biopsy and surgical specimens. A comparison of findings between these two kinds of specimens was performed.

Response of Prostate-Specific Antigen after Androgen Withdrawal and Prognosis in Men with Metastatic Prostate Cancer

Objective: Patients with prostate cancer generally respond to androgen withdrawal therapy, but progression to androgen independence is frequently observed. To evaluate prognostic factors in metastatic prostate cancer, patients who had been treated with endocrine therapy were investigated. Methods: One hundred and thirty-nine patients with untreated metastatic prostate cancer (TxNxM1) who received endocrine therapy between 1986 and 1993 were included in the present study. Blood chemistry, histological grade, extent of bony metastases, clinical response to hormone therapy, and the prognosis of the patients were evaluated. Results: With univariate analysis, performance status, hemoglobin concentration, serum alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, histological grade, extent of bony disease, and response of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) at 3 months were shown to be significant prognostic factors. With multivariate analyses, response of PSA and histological grade were significant factors predicting prognosis. Conclusions: Patients whose PSA had not normalized 3 months after the start of endocrine therapy were in the high-risk group, and should be given more aggressive treatment.

Evaluation of functional bladder capacity in Japanese children

Background: Functional bladder capacity is a very important factor in the diagnosis of children with voiding disorders. Because Japanese children are thought to have somewhat smaller functional bladder capacity compared with Western children, the convenient formula (so‐called Koff formula) bladder capacity (in ounces) = age (in years) + 2 is not suitable for use in Japanese children.

Experience with Ureteral Stone Management in 1,082 Patients Using Semirigid Ureteroscopes

Objectives: To assess the efficacy and complications of ureteroscopic lithotripsy (URS) using semirigid ureteroscopes. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the records of 1,082 consecutive patients with ureteral stones who were treated with URS with or without auxiliary extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for stone fragments. The efficacy was estimated using the stone-free rate and efficiency quotient (EQ). Results: The stone-free rates were 79.0, 90.4 and 93.2% for upper, middle and lower ureteral stones, respectively. The EQ was 0.49 for upper, 0.79 for middle and 0.87 for lower ureteral stones. Ureteral perforation occurred in 54 cases (5.0%), of which 13 cases (1.2%) required nephrostomy (n = 11, 1.0%) or open surgery (n = 2, 0.2%). Conclusions: URS is a reasonable procedure with minor complications for stones located in the lower and middle ureter, but cannot be recommended as a first-line treatment for upper ureteral stones.

Serum Interleukin‐6 levels after Urologic Operations

Background: Endourology, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), and laparoscopic surgery are considered minimally invasive procedures; however, estimation of operative invasiveness has not been fully accomplished. We measured serum interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) levels, as an indicator for systemic reaction, to examine operative invasiveness of these operations in comparison with open surgery. Method: Serum IL‐6 levels were measured in 119 patients undergoing open surgery, laparoscopic surgery, endourology, and ESWL.